Three Stones Residential agents pride ourselves on our consultative service approach, local expertise and real estate market knowledge. With over 26 years of business experience in the DMV, we have consistently performed in the top 2% of local Realtors and are currently the #1 group at Keller Williams Metro Center. 

8380 Greensboro Drive Unit 412, McLean
3 BD/2 BA
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $599,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

6518 Valley Court, Falls Church
6 BD/4 BA
Agent: Redfin Corporation
Listed: $649,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

7005 Lee Park Court, Falls Church
5 BD/4 BA
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $1,099,999
Open: Friday 6-8 p.m. & Sunday 1-4 p.m.

8518 Rehoboth Court, Vienna
5 BD/3.5 BA
Agent: Avery-Hess Realtors
Listed: $865,000
Open: Saturday 1-3 p.m. & Sunday 2-4 p.m.

9102 Quarter Court, Vienna
5 BD/4 BA
Agent: Versant Realty
Listed: $1,049,900
Open: Saturday & Sunday 1-4 p.m.

8403 Black Stallion Place, Vienna
5 BD/3.5 BA
Agent: McEnearney Associates
Listed: $1,250,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

7110 Sea Cliff Road, McLean
4 BD/3 BA
Agent: Libra Realty Llc
Listed: $799,900
Open: Saturday & Sunday 2-4 p.m.

Our role is to offer sound advice and guidance to our clients in order for them to achieve their goals in either buying, selling, leasing or managing real estate. We are truly “Your Home… for Everything Real Estate.” To schedule a private showing of these or any other properties of interest please do not hesitate to contact us here or email us at [email protected].

Three Stones Residential agents pride ourselves on our consultative service approach, local expertise and real estate market knowledge. With over 26 years of business experience in the DMV, we have consistently performed in the top 2% of local Realtors and are currently the #1 group at Keller Williams Metro Center. 

The following properties were recently listed in the Tysons, McLean, Vienna and Falls Church areas.

• 3747 Powell Lane, Falls Church — $745,000
• 2902 Linden Lane, Falls Church — $1,290,000
• 444 W Broad Street Unit 725, Falls Church — $599,900
• 8403 Black Stallion Place, Vienna — $1,250,000
• 207 Ross Drive SW, Vienna — $1,639,888
• 1001 Galium Court, McLean — $1,200,000
• 8220 Crestwood Heights Drive Unit 1818, McLean — $1,999,500

Our role is to offer sound advice and guidance to our clients in order for them to achieve their goals in either buying, selling, leasing or managing real estate. We are truly “Your Home… for Everything Real Estate.” To schedule a private showing of these or any other properties of interest please do not hesitate to contact us here or email us at [email protected].

No matter what industry you work in, technology is constantly changing. Companies are searching for candidates with new skillsets and experience with emerging technologies.

At Virginia Tech’s Northern Virginia Center, adjacent to the West Falls Church Metro station, an administrative team manages more than 700 online graduate students looking to develop new skills and fill gaps on their resume.

Virginia Tech developed its #4 nationally-ranked Master of Information Technology program (VT-MIT) in 1999 in response to a request by the Commonwealth of Virginia to help meet the growing demand for employees in the information technology field.

Since then, the 100% online program has kept pace with changes in technology, in both course delivery and course options.

Working professionals from across the country are taking the online courses at their own pace and designing a degree that works for their individual goals, whether they are a seasoned IT professional or looking to shift into a tech career.

VT-MIT currently offers 11 areas of specialization, including analytics and business intelligence, big data, cybersecurity, health information technology and software development.

The program also offers six graduate certificate options for professionals that are not looking to pursue a full degree.

VT-MIT plans to continue adding new courses and graduate certificates that keep up with current trends in tech, particularly as the wider university takes on a central role in the cybersecurity ecosystem.

Virginia Tech launched the Ballston-based Hume Center for National Security and Technology in 2010 and was tapped by the state in 2018 to lead its $25 million Commonwealth Cyber Initiative.

The university’s forthcoming Innovation Campus is expected to triple Virginia Tech’s footprint in the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and become a magnet for leading tech talent, research and education.

For more information about Virginia Tech’s 100% online Master of Information Technology Program, visit vtmit.vt.edu or sign up for an upcoming information session.

Welcome to Luxury For Less, a weekly column highlighting the best deals in luxury real estate. Written by Brandy Schantz of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, Luxury For Less offers tips and tricks navigating the competitive real estate market and securing the home of your dreams. To learn more, visit ttrsir.com.

I’m sure everyone has already heard that January is the new spring market.

Well, it seems to be true. This week there are only 22 homes that have been reduced in price in the Tysons area. These homes range from a 1 bedroom condo in Falls Church now priced at $300,000 to a 5 bedroom detached home in Great Falls now priced at $2,040,000. This week’s feature home is an amazing detached home in Vienna. The Vienna market has been hot with new builds constantly going up and selling quickly.

This home in the Coral Ridge neighborhood features over 8,000 sq. ft. on 3 levels and has been completely renovated. If you’ve been looking for a home in the coveted Wolftrap Elementary school district, you may want to consider this great home. Better than new and priced well below new homes of a similar size, this great house offers everything. Check out the amazing master bathroom in this great house! Priced at $1,500,000, it’s officially a steal.

To see this beautiful home or any of the other homes on the market in the D.C. area, please contact Brandy at [email protected] or 571-263-0206.

9464 Coral Crest Lane Vienna (Reduced $50,000)

Check out the rest of this week’s Luxury for Less listings:

• 877 Forestville Meadows Drive Great Falls (Reduced $25,000)
• 8500 Idylwood Valley Place Vienna (Reduced $25,500)
• 2144 Pimmit Drive Falls Church (Reduced $24,000)
• 6196 Adeline Court McLean (Reduced $175,000)

The properties listed are a small selection of properties available in the Tyson’s Corner area. For a full list of properties listed on MLS and private exclusives, please contact Brandy Schantz.

This is a sponsored column by 3Summit Investment Management, LLC based in Vienna, VA. 3Summit designs custom, modern investment portfolios and has unique expertise in managing investment risk.

By Dan Irvine | Principal, 3Summit Investment Management

The S&P 500 had a banner year in 2019, returning over 31%!

While you might believe most investors would be happy by their investment portfolio returns, they often are not. Diversified investment portfolios are a common source of investor disappoint during years of unusually high returns and likewise losses.

When stock markets make strong advances up, investors become completely focused on returns. If investors compared their diversified portfolios to the S&P 500 after last year’s 31% return, many noticed they produced returns often less than half the returns of the S&P 500, which made them very unhappy.

During times of economic turbulence like in 2008 and 2009, investors no longer focused on returns and became completely focused on risk as they watched in dismay as their diversified portfolio, believed to be moderate to low risk, lost potentially more than 35%, which also made them very unhappy.

Investors are not entirely to blame for being discontent with the performance of their diversified investment portfolios. The investment management industry carries much of the blame for investor dissatisfaction by leading investors to have unrealistic expectations of their portfolio’s return potential and ability to protect against large losses, especially during market extremes. However, there are ways to reduce the disappointment you may feel about your diversified portfolio by improving performance and mitigating large losses during extreme market environments.

The Jack of All Trades and Master of None

When investors are asked what their primary investment objectives are, most say they want both high returns and to protect their portfolio from large losses. The problem is that these two objectives are in opposition to one another and both objectives cannot be effectively achieved with a single investment strategy.

Everyone loves a solution that gives them everything they want and nothing they don’t, therefore the investment management industry is skilled at selling diversified portfolios that are represented as being capable of producing both high returns while also protecting investors from large losses. I call these “swiss army” portfolios because they are sold as no-compromise investment solutions. These portfolios often are sold as growth or aggressive portfolios.

The problem with swiss army portfolios is they cannot possibly deliver on their promise because the primary impediment to generating outsized returns is too much diversification and the primary impediment to preventing large losses is too little diversification. 

Read More

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Val Sotillo, Northern Virginia-based Realtor and Falls Church resident. Please submit your questions to her via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: I’m planning to do some remodeling this year and before I get started, I’m wondering what colors and design trends you’re expecting in 2020.

Answer: It’s is a new decade and we’re seeing lots of color and textures. In 2020 we will see a return to strong geometric forms as well as surprising interpretations of neutral colors.

If you’re remodeling with plans to sell in a few years, you’ll want to put more weight into current buyer trends. So visit some open houses for new construction homes to see what finishes builders are using and balance these with your personal preferences.

If you don’t plan to sell in the near or midterm, design your home to reflect your personality and tell your story. What makes you truly happy is more important than what you see in magazines or on social media. There’s a good chance design trends will change anyway by the time you’re ready to sell so don’t compromise your style just because it’s not currently in demand with buyers.

Let’s take a look at what the experts are projecting for design and color trends in 2020:

Color

My favorite no-fail primary wall paint colors is this light pewter from Benjamin Moore. I love this neutral because of its ability to work with many other colors and you can change up the rest of the room as often as you wish with a new color accent wall or accessories. It is a great transitioning color and that allows for flexibility with color elsewhere in your décor.

Every year paint companies introduce their “color of the year” recommendations and 2020 is definitely a year for the bold. I was not a fan of Pantone’s 2019 selection of Coral but love their 2020 choice, Classic Blue. The Sherwin William’s color of the year is Naval, and Behr’s is Back to Nature. All 3 colors are pictured below.

Design Trends

Every year Houzz publishes their design trends and it’s always an interesting read. Here is a list of the most popular design trends for this year:

• Quartz — This stone is quickly becoming an affordable and low maintenance alternative to beloved marble due to its exceptional strength and durability. Now comes in many colors and finishes. It is bacteria resistant and 51% of renovating homeowners choose the material.
• Slab Backsplash — A solid piece of material behind your sink and cooking areas makes your kitchen look sophisticated and cool, not to mention much easier to clean than a backsplash with grout and tiles.
• Three Toned Kitchens — Ideally, one color is selected as the focus, a second is used to support it and a third is applied as an accent. This creates layers and helps define zones or functions.
• Black is Back — Black on larger design elements such as doors, accent walls, sofas, cabinets and sinks
• Brass — Not your shiny yellow 90’s brass! Brass is a surprisingly warm and subtle alternative to the expected steel accents. The best way to work brass into your decor is by combining it with other metals.
• Dark Painted Doors — Easy and cost effective to add some personality into your space. The painted door look (especially when it’s paired with lighter surrounding trim and wall paint) is striking and dramatic. Plus, painting a single door, instead of a whole wall or room, can add up to some serious interior house painting savings.
• Sustainability — People are more ecologically conscious and knowledgeable than ever before. Antiques, hand-me-downs, and upcycling furniture are a wonderful trend in 2020!

A Few Trends That Stayed In 2019:

• All white kitchens
• Many hues of gray — Overdone in the 2010’s
• Farmhouse style — Sorry, Chip and Joanna
• Fast furniture — No sustainability
• Open shelving — Impractical
• Open floor plans — Millennials want more space definition and a little more privacy

Are there any design trends you wish would return to popularity? Which current trends or colors would you like done away with?

If you’d like more information, or would like a question answered in my column, please reach out to [email protected]. I hope to hear from you soon!

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.

Valentine’s Day is just about 3 weeks away and on a Friday this year!

Sometimes we can forget to book early, so here’s your reminder to book a restaurant reservation early this year! Some of these may even have a special menu for Valentine’s Day.

Vienna

• Clarity
• The Palm
• Bazins
• Maple Ave
• Randy’s
• Café Renaissance
• Blend 111
• Zenola

Falls Church

• 2941
• Thompson’s Italian
• Dominion Beer & Wine

McLean

• Assaggi Osteria
• J Gilbert’s
• Eddie V’s
• Wildfire
• Lebanese Taverna
• Nostos
• Founding Farmers

Looking for ladies night out ideas instead? Check out this post from last year!

Three Stones Residential agents pride ourselves on our consultative service approach, local expertise and real estate market knowledge. With over 26 years of business experience in the DMV, we have consistently performed in the top 2% of local Realtors and are currently the #1 group at Keller Williams Metro Center. 

6917 Custis Parkway, Falls Church
4 BD/2 BA
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $619,900
Open: Friday 5-7 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 1-3 p.m.

8380 Greensboro Drive Unit 412, McLean
3 BD/2 BA
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $599,000
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

6535 Bay Tree Court, Falls Church
5 BD/3 BA
Agent: Re/Max West End
Listed: $765,000
Open: Saturday & Sunday 2-4 p.m.

7022 Roundtree Road, Falls Church
3 BD/2.5 BA
Agent: Keller Williams Realty Falls Church
Listed: $609,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

2834 Hill Road, Vienna
5 BD/4.5 BA
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $899,900
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

564 Windover Avenue NW, Vienna
3 BD/3 BA
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $550,000
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

9530 Center Street, Vienna
4 BD/2.5 BA
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc
Listed: $750,000
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

7922 Falstaff Road, McLean
5 BD/3 BA
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $1,100,000
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m. & Sunday 1-4 p.m.

1044 Rector Lane, McLean
5 BD/4.5 BA
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $1,328,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

Our role is to offer sound advice and guidance to our clients in order for them to achieve their goals in either buying, selling, leasing or managing real estate. We are truly “Your Home… for Everything Real Estate.” To schedule a private showing of these or any other properties of interest please do not hesitate to contact us here or email us at [email protected].

Welcome to Luxury For Less, a weekly column highlighting the best deals in luxury real estate. Written by Brandy Schantz of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, Luxury For Less offers tips and tricks navigating the competitive real estate market and securing the home of your dreams. To learn more, visit ttrsir.com.

2020 is kicking off strong in the real estate market.

Buyers are already out looking and great homes are selling fast. The recently reduced in price market is small in the Tysons Corner area. There were only 15 homes decreased in price this week. Out of those 15 homes, only 4 were under $1M. Waiting for a home to come down in price is an event that is becoming less and less likely in Tysons Corner.

The luxury market has some great options though. This week’s feature home is a colonial in McLean featuring nearly 8,000 sq. ft. This stucco home is unique and features many custom, luxury upgrades. 6 bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms make this home perfect for anyone seeking great space. Reduced in price by $100,000, this motivated seller is ready to get you a luxury home in McLean for less.

6932 Espey Lane McLean (Reduced $100,000)

To see this beautiful home or any of the other homes on the market in the D.C. area, please contact Brandy at [email protected] or 571-263-0206.

Check out the rest of this week’s Luxury for Less listings:

• 7306 Gordons Road Falls Church (Reduced $52,700)
• 1674 Chain Bridge Road McLean (Reduced $100,000)
• 1100 Leigh Mill Great Falls (Reduced $400,000)
• 932 Dead Run Drive McLean (Reduced $51,000)

The properties listed are a small selection of properties available in the Tyson’s Corner area. For a full list of properties listed on MLS and private exclusives, please contact Brandy Schantz.

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.

If you’ve ever read any of my bio, you know that I was a softball player in college at the University of Rochester in New York.

I was an All-American, both academically and athletically. My husband was a soccer coach in Loudoun County for Potomac Falls High School and I coached Varsity Softball at Yorktown High School in Arlington for a few years around 2007. My boys are both heavily involved in baseball and basketball sports around Vienna. To say we’re a sports family is mildly understated.

Having started my kids playing in the i9 program has been so much FUN. Something I think gets lost these days in kids sports. I’m highlighting the program, which is a franchise, but is locally owned by a Vienna/Oakton family for the entire Fairfax County franchise.

They offer programs that start as young as 3 years old for both girls and boys and goes up to 13 in flag football, soccer, basketball, baseball, volleyball and zip lacrosse.

The programs for the little kids is usually once a week for an hour: a 30 minute practice followed by a 30 minute game. They have a weekly sportsmanship value that’s discussed in detail. Things like positivity, teamwork, humility and listening. For the younger kids, one kid from each team gets a medal per work for demonstrating that value (every kid gets a medal by the end of the season).

Here’s the reason I love the program so much: the guys who run it every week are passionate. They all have day jobs, they do this because they LOVE it. They love working with the kids to teach them the sport and they’re so enthusiastic you can’t help but love the experience.

Special shout out to Mervin who runs a lot of the Vienna location sports — we’ve had him for soccer, baseball and basketball now and he’s hilarious. He’s so good with the kids, good about getting parents involved in the right way, and encouraging a good time. For their first and last games, they usually do fun events like letting the kids run through a banner with music playing, or run down a line of outstretched parent hands for a high-five while they announce their names.

If you have kids who may be the ones who hide behind your legs at first (I had one too), these guys go out of their way to get those kids into it. No pressure of course, but little things like giving them a jersey and asking them to hold a ball, because you know if they’re holding one they’ll start dribbling it. Then try again next week.

In a world where there’s so much pressure on kids so early, i9 brings back what youth sports should be: FUN.

Thank you Todd Peterson for running such a wonderful organization!

For more information on the program, visit i9Sports.com.